Decision-Making Bodies and Processes

Decision-Making Bodies

Actions on HLC-affiliated institutions are taken by decision-making bodies comprised of institutional representatives and public members. Unless otherwise specified, the decision-making bodies are broadly representative of the colleges and universities accredited by HLC, with attention to institutional type, control, size and geographical distribution. All decision-making bodies abide by HLC’s conflict of interest policies.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of HLC. It is made up of at least 15 and no more than 21 trustees. Member institutions elect trustees in the spring to four-year terms that begin on September 1. One of every seven trustees is a representative of the public, and the others are broadly representative of HLC member institutions.

Cases that require final action by the Board include the following:

Granting or denying an institution candidacy or initial accreditation.

Issuing or withdrawing status from an accredited institution.

Issuing or removing a Show-Cause Order.

Initiating a reconsideration process.

Approving or denying a Change of Control, Structure or Organization

Moving an institution from accredited to candidate status.

Institutional Actions Council

The Institutional Actions Council (IAC) is composed of approximately 90 members representing HLC member institutions and the public. The Board of Trustees appoints and authorizes IAC members to serve four-year terms. Those members who represent institutions are also current members of the Peer Corps. Biographical information about IAC members is available upon request.

The IAC has the authority to act on substantive change cases, recommendations following interim monitoring, mid-cycle pathway reviews and cases of reaffirmation of accreditation, including pathway placement. Some cases heard by the IAC require action by the Board of Trustees. In these instances, the IAC submits a recommendation to the Board for consideration, and the Board takes final action.

The IAC reviews cases in two settings: meetings and hearings. Meetings are held via webinar with a committee of IAC members. The IAC meeting committee’s action is final unless HLC policy requires the Board to take final action. Hearings are conducted in-person with a committee of IAC members and representatives from the institution and peer review team. Institutions may request, or HLC policy may require, that certain cases go to a hearing rather than a meeting. The IAC hearing committee make a recommendation to the Board for final action.

Appeals Body

The Appeals Body is selected by the Board of Trustees to be available to serve on Appeals Panels. Although many actions by the Board are considered final actions, in some cases an institution may appeal an adverse action of the Board. In these instances, an Appeals Panel hears the case and has the authority to affirm, amend or reverse the action of the Board. The Panel may also send the action back to the Board with specific instructions on how to proceed in further consideration. Whatever action the Panel decides on is a final action and must be recognized and implemented by HLC.

Decision-Making Processes

The decision-making process begins once an evaluation concludes. A peer review report that includes a recommendation is submitted to an HLC decision-making body.

Each year the IAC reviews more than 1,000 cases in two settings. The first is called a meeting, which is held via webinar with a committee of IAC members. Cases that do not require Board action are heard in meetings. Representatives from the institutions are not present at these meetings. The decisions of IAC meeting committees are final unless the Board of Trustees is required by policy to take final action.

An institution may request, or HLC policy may require, that certain cases go to an IAC hearing rather than a meeting. Representatives from both the institution and peer review team, along with a committee of IAC members, are physically present at these hearings. The IAC hearing committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees for final action.

A committee of IAC members is selected for each meeting and hearing; they are responsible for reading the entire record related to each case. Approximately every six weeks, IAC committees review cases in a meeting format. Hearings are conducted three times each year, always timed to occur in advance of Board meetings.

An action taken by the IAC is considered a final action unless the case requires review by the Board of Trustees. If the case requires action by the Board, the IAC includes a recommendation with the report sent on to the Board of Trustees for final action.

The Board meets in person three times a year to take action on institutional cases, as well as conduct other HLC business. The Board may also take institutional actions at other times during the year, via teleconference or mail ballots, as necessary.

An institution may appeal an adverse action of the Board of Trustees, prior to the action becoming final, by filing a written request to appeal following HLC’s appeals procedures. Adverse actions are defined as those that (1) withdraw or deny accreditation, except in denial of accreditation where the Board denies an early application for accreditation and continues candidate for accreditation status or extends it to a fifth year, (2) withdraw or deny candidacy, or (3) move the institution from accredited to candidate status.

Please note: The decision-making processes for individual cases are dependent upon HLC policy. Please review HLC policies to determine how the process might change based on institutional circumstances.

Institutional Response

Institutions are offered an opportunity to respond after each evaluation and at each stage of the decision-making process. Each decision-making body considers the institutional response as part of the full record of the case, along with the recommendation of the peer review team.

Approximately two weeks after a final action by the IAC or Board of Trustees, an Action Letter is sent to the institution. The Action Letter relays the final action to the institution.

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